Portable carrying and sleeping container



Dec. 26, 1950 Filed Feb. 8, 1949 E- V. CON RAD PORTABLE CARRYING AND SLEEPING CONTAINER 2 Sheegs-Sheet 1 Dec. 26, 1 950 E. v. CONRAD 2,535,531 I PORTABLE CARRYING AND SLEEPING CONTAINER Filed Feb. 8, 1949 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 comes useful.

Patented Dec. 26, 1950 PORTABLE CARRYING AND SLEEPING CONTAINER Edward V. Conrad, East Orange, N. J.

Application February 8, 1949, Serial No. 75,251

5 Claims.

expensive in price, and which will render the infant or other occupant safe durin use. Another object of my invention is to provide such a device which has a plurality of useful purposes. Stated otherwise, I seek to provide herein i a safe, inexpensive, multi-purpose device for use in connection with the transporting and sleeping of infants, in particular. Thus, from the time that an infant is first brought into the home, for example from the hospital, my novel devic be- The infant may be placed in the novel basket herein-disclosed when being taken home from the hospital. My basket, either per se or in connection with a carriage provided therefor, may serve as the crib or bed for the infant during its tender years. Should it be desired to move the infant while sleeping or awake from one room to another without disturbing it, my herein-disclosed device permits that to be done without inconvenience or annoyance either to the infant or to the persons involved. For example, if the infant is asleep and the mother wishes to have the infant in sight at all times while working in different rooms or in going from one room to another my novel device permits the easy movin about of the infant without disturbing it, even while asleep.

Should it be desired to transport the infant while asleep my novel device permits of the accomplishment of this without the necessity of 7'.

changing the infants clothes or covers, or for that matter without even touching the infant, as all that needs to be done is to lift the basket containing the infant while asleep and carry the basket out to a vehicle or to the destination.

Thus, for example, if the parents wish to visit during an evening all that needs to be done is to lift the novel basket while the infant is in it asleep and carry it to the automobile, and then when the parents have arrived at their destination'all that is necessary is to place the basket containing the infant in a suitable place, such as the floor, if desired. There is no necessity for moving or annoyin the infant in transportation.

This is particularly important in connection with r those infants who cannot be transported while asleep without being awakened or those infants who refuse to go to sleep in a strange crib or bed. The foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by my present invention which will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout and which form a part hereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of my novel bassinet-type device;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the container shown in Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the shell or basket, showing an adjustable end piece, this end piece being shown in extended relation;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the end piece folded back into closed position, and also showing auxiliary pockets attached to the carrying and sleeping member;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of Fig. 4;

Figs. 7 and. 8 are transverse sections of the basket, showing a locking device which may be used with the handles or straps;

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the basket showing a modification in which apertures are provided in the bottom of the basket so that at times it may be used as a chair, the child's legs extending downwardly through the apertures, the apertures being normally closed by any suitable means;

Fig. 10 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, but showing a handle attached to the collapsible supporting structure, and having wheels which may be attached to the carriage support for conversion of the device into a perambulator;

Fig. 11 an end view taken-from the left of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a modification similar to Fig. 10, but showing a hood attachment applied thereto as well as a wind and rain shield;

Fig. 13 is a vertical sectional view through one of the end pockets of the carrying and s1eeping member, showing compartments therein for various items, such as bottles and diapers; I

Fig. 14: is a vertical section through the basket, showing removable interior padding and also a bottom reinforcing means permanently attached to the bottom padding;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal, longitudinal section of the basket showing the two end compartments which may be provided with various pockets, etc. and also showing that the end reinforcing means do not interfere with the end of the side members when it is desired to carry the basket;

Fig. 16 is a side elevation partly in section copolymer of vinyl {snap-on means. "employed with the head and foot compartments for carrying infants or the showing an adjustable bottom reinforcing board; and

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary, isometric view of a pocket arrangement which may be used in any of the forms shown herein.

Referring to the drawings, my novel portable bassinet-type device 20 comprises a basket 2| and a carriage 22, the carriage 22 being of suitable size and shape for accommodating the basket 2| in a safe and suitable manner.

The basket 2| is provided with a handle and reinforcing member 23 attached by suitable means, for example sewing or snap-on means, to the outer flexible shell 24 of the basket 2|. The flexible shell 24- has end 25, side 25 and bot tom 2? portions, the handle reinforcing member 23 extending around and being attached to both side portions 26 and the bottom portion 2?.

Located adjacent the inner side of the end 25 and side. 2%? portions of the flexible shell 24 are stiffening members 222 Located adjacent the stiffening members 29, on the side opposite the end 25 ,and side 2 6 portions of the flexible shell 24 is suitable padding material 3%. Attachment of the padding 3% to the end 25. and length 2% portions of thefiexible shell 24 may be by suitable means, such .as-sewing or snap-on means. The padding 39 may be in one continuous iece; or. if desired, the padding may be sewn or otherwise attached to each individual end 25 and side 26 portions ofthe flexible. shell 24. In the modiffijc'ation of my .novel portable bassinet-type d vice 20 shown in Figs. 4, and 6 the padding 3% attached: to the extensible end portion 3! is separately attached to thislatter portion.

AYmovable stiffening member .32 is provided for positioning on the bottom portion 2! of the flexible shell 24. If-desir'ed, amattress 33;, may

.be fixedly and niovably attached to the bottom ifstifi'ening'member, 32 by suitable means, for ex- "ample grommetsfSA. The outer lining '35, of the mattress 33 ispreferably made of suitable waterproofe'd'material. I

-, I iprefer to provide as part of my novel portable t the head 36 and foot slends. .See especially l l 'igs. l5, 16 .and 1.7. .If desiredgthev compartments "may be provided along the length portions of ,the basket as shown in Fig. 5. The compart ments at the head and foot of the basket may .each consist of one pocket as shown in Fig. 15, r example, or may be a plurality ofpocketsas shown in Figs.,13 and 1'7. While water-proofed material may be used to line each of the pockets 'it has been found that this is especially advantageous only in connection with the pockets utijli'zied for diapers or other soiled articles likely to beencountered in connection with the use of such devices. While I do not wish to be restricted to any particular waterr-proofed. lining I have found that textiles made from Vinylite, which is a chloride and vinyl acetate, gives especially satisfactory results.

jwithflaps 38 which may be closed by suitable In connection withv the flaps it is desirable to sew or. otherwise attach one side of said flaps 38 to the padding means 3!).

In order to permit the use of the basket 2! like in a reclining or sitting position the bottom stifiening member 32 may contain a head portion 39 hingeably atssinet-type device 25!. compartments o1" pockets It is desirable to provide the compartments tached as at 49 to the rest of the ,bottom por-,

"ton 32. The head portion 39 restsag'ainst stop 5! may be provided m'ade in collapsible form.

member 45 which may be moved in guideway 12 and attached to the side of the basket 2! by suitable screw means or other means (not shown). See Fig. 17.

The handle and reinforcing member 23 may be attached to the inside or outside of the flexible shell 24 as shown respectively in Figs. 1 and 5, for example. If desired, the handle and reinforcing member 23 may be provided with rings 43 as shown in Fig. 15 thereby enabling the portable bassinet-type device 20 to be safely suspended as for example in an automobile or other vehicle.

The modification of my basket shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 is provided with an extensible width or foot portion 3| permitting the continued use of the basket as the infant grows, or for a larger doll or other similar objects to be carried. The extensible portion 3! comprises a flap having snap-on meansfor engagement with suitable receptacles as shown in Fig. 4.

Also, if desired, my novel basket maybe further modified so as to permit the carrying 'of an infant in a sitting o reclining position. For this purpose, the modification shown in F-ig. 9 wherein apertures 44 are provided in the bottom portio-nofthe basket is satisfactory. Fig. 9 also shows rubberized lugs 45 for minimizing friction when the basket is in contact with the carriage or when the basket is placed on the floor, table or the like. i

In order to furnish a safetylocking device to guard against the dropping of the infant or other occupants of my basket whichwould bethe case were one handle inadvertently to slip from the hand Ipr'ovide a locking device 46 as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. This device in the form of a ring engages both loops of the handle and reinforcing member 23 as shown jinFig. '8 which also shows the relation of some of the parts of my basket when in carrying position. 4

. While any conventional carriage may be employed, Whether stationary onperambdlatbry, I prefer the embodiments shownin the accompany'ing drawings. Figsl, 2 and 3 s howjthe carriage in stationary form while Figs 10, Hand l2 show a perambulatory form Shaving wheels 51 and ,ahandle 48 for pushing the perambulator. If desired, a hood .419 having a transparent shield as shown ai n Fig. 12 in order to protect the occupant of the basket from the elements. The hood 49 may be collapsible as shown in Fig. 1 2. i

As will be appreciated, I do notlimit myself to any particular materials of construction as regards my novel basket or carriage therefor. Merely for purpose of illustration I mention that the flexible shell material may bejan oilcoated textile, leatherette, leather or plasticcardboard or laminated plastic material, Likewise, the padding may be of conventional materials, g, H

Both the. basket and the'carriage "maybe .1 onn eti n it may be noted that the removable stiffening members permit the collapsing of the basketiol example, simply by removing the reinforcing members adjacent to the width portions of the flexible shell.

As shown in Fig. 10 the wheel maybe made of any convenient size, the dottedline showing a larger size than the ones depicted in'thefull lines.

The operation and multi-purposes which the novel portable and sleeping container of my invention may be put to will be obvious from the foregoing description and hence there is no need for giving the various operating details and uses.

While my invention has been described in detail as to construction and arrangement of parts, it is understood that some modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of my invention, and hence no limitations are intended other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims construed as broadly as permissible in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. A bassinet-type device comprising a shell having a flexible wall structure including opposed sides, opposed ends and a bottom, a reinforcing structure secured to the wall structure and reinforcing parts of the same and having portions extending from the upper edges of the sides of said shell to provide carrying means for the device, individual members stiffening the wall structure for preventing collapsing of said shell, padding arranged on the interior of the wall structure of said shell, and a collapsible supporting structure removably receiving and support ing said shell.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said reinforcing structure comprises an endless belt.

3. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said portions extending from the upper sides of said shell have rings at their ends.

4. A device in accordance with claim' 1, wherein said collapsible supporting structure comprises a rectangular frame, two bracket members attached to said frame for receiving said shell, and supporting means attached to said frame.

5. A device inaccordance with claim 4, wherein said supporting means have wheels at the bottoms thereof.

EDWARD V. CONRAD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENT 

